How to DIY Faux Stained Glass Windows

Learn how Linda turned her existing window into a faux stained glass window with easy to install leaded lines. It’s a beautiful classic design and adds privacy to a plain window, and it’s easy to make your own stained glass at home!

You can also add privacy with this easy DIY lace window film or this cheap DIY window film trick — plus learn how to make a no-sew DIY magnetic curtain for more window coverage.

? Looking for kids art project ideas? Here are 60 Easy Art Ideas for Kids Wall Decor.

DIY Faux Stained Glass Window Tutorial
by Linda at It All Started With Paint

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Hi everyone! My name is Linda from It All Started With Paint and I’m thrilled to be participating in the Remodelaholic ‘All Things Windows’ event.

Back to my home DIY journey. Our house is over 100 years old. Don’t get too excited. It comes with none of the old world charm you might imagine a home built in the late 1800’s would possess. It does, however, come with a whole lot of old house money-pit headaches! But that’s a post for “This Old House Headaches Week” …

I pride myself on being a make lemonade out of lemons person. And when confronted with modern-looking windows and mouldings that didn’t really fit with the coastal-nautical-city-cottage vibe I’m was hoping to infuse into our home, I set about giving them a bit of old world flair. On the cheap, of course, with a faux stained glass window treatment … yes you can stain glass in an existing window!

How to DIY Faux Stained Glass Windows

Step 1: Draw the glass design

I started out drawing my faux stained glass design on a piece of paper the exact dimensions of the window opening. Needless to say, there was a lot of erasing and redrawing to get the perfect fit.

My window design is all straight lines, which made it easy to draw and easy to create using primarily the peel and stick DIY stained glass leading lines.

For more organic shapes, you could use stencils or cups, bowls, etc to make nice even curves and simple designs.

Step 2: Transfer the design to the window

Now, if I could easily reach the outside of the window, I would just tape that drawing to it with painters tape and trace the pattern right onto the glass. But that wasn’t an option. So I put my drawing up against the window and, using a pencil, lightly marked off my lead line starting points on the edges of the window frame.

PS: Be sure to clean your glass well with glass cleaner before transferring the faux stained glass black outlines!

Step 3: Apply leaded glass lines

Then it was time to grab my Gallery Glass supplies, which I found at the craft store. These supplies are also available here on Amazon. I used window leading strips, liquid leading, and crystal clear window color (and there’s a combo kit here).

I used the clear window coloring to add a frosted glass look to my stained glass window. If you’d like a more colorful stained glass window, use the colored Gallery Glass paints instead like Madigan added to her sidelights here. There are also colorful window films you could use.

Those leading strips are pure genius. You can easily cut them. Easily reposition them to follow the lines of your pattern. I just used a level to keep my vertical lines straight. Press firmly on the edge of the lead strips to ensure good adhesion.

Related: DIY Lace Window Film. It’s easier than you think!

The I added some liquid leading “solder” to clean up the leaded areas where pieces didn’t quite connect. This is basically fancy black acrylic paint.

I let that dry for 8-10 hours, per the instructions on the bottle.

For curved lines, circles, or other organic shapes that aren’t straight lines, Gallery Glass recommends creating a DIY stained glass window cling. You’ll use a spare piece of glass (like from a picture frame), place the pattern underneath, apply the liquid leading and the stained glass paint, then let it dry and peel it from the glass to place on the window.

Step 4: Apply stained glass color paint

Phase two was the application of the Crystal Clear glass color. Which, obviously, is colorless. After it dries, that is. During application it was milky white.

The colorful DIY stained glass window paint applies the same way — opaque during application and translucent after it dries (kind of like Mod Podge or Elmer’s glue).

I was a bit heavy handed. Squeezing it out directly from the bottle onto the window. Completely forgetting about the effects of gravity. There was some revisiting throughout the day to wipe away the Crystal Clear from the lead lines and the bottom of the window pane.

My recommendation is to skip my heavy-handed method and use some type of applicator. Like a paintbrush. And painting on multiple light coats until you reach your desired look.

Gallery Glass recommends applying the DIY stained glass window paint directly to the window from the bottle, then using this pick tool to brush/stir to spread and blend the paint. This also helps remove air bubbles trapped beneath the paint.

In the end, I’m really happy with how it turned out.

It really does compliment my dining room remodel.

In fact, I loved it so much that I created one in my living room as well.

You can see my fully remodeled coastal-nautical-city-cottage-look dining room and living rooms (complete with faux leaded glass windows) — as well as the faux stained glass window I created in my entryway during my pre-blogging days — by visiting the room remodels section on my blog.

Thank you so much Cassity for inviting me to share my faux stained glass window tutorial with your Remodelaholic readers! Hopefully they’re inspired to add a bit of old world house charm to their very own homes – without the old house money-pit headaches!

You can also find me on social media, including Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. I’d love for you to stop by and socialize!

DIY Stained Glass Window FAQs

Is DIY stained glass expensive?

Faux stained glass is not expensive and it’s a very affordable way to create your own privacy window and add some classic style to your home. A pack of leading strips and a combo kit of liquid leading and glass paint cost less than $50 (and you can use coupons at most craft stores!) and will cover several average size windows, depending on your design.

Is this DIY faux stained glass window paint removeable?

Yes! The paint is very durable but can also be removed if you’d like to return to the flat glass window. Just use a glass scraper tool or craft blade/utility knife to score the edges, then carefully scrape up the paint — it may even peel off in one piece.

How do I clean a faux stained glass window?

Since the stained glass paint and leading are applied to the inside of the window only, you can continue to clean the exterior of the window like usual. For the textured inside of the window, wipe clean regularly with a lint-free microfiber cloth to remove dust.

Can I use this method for a kids glass window art lesson?

Of course! The Gallery Glass supplies are a great option for kids and adults alike to create your own imitation stained glass art and stain your own “window” in a photo frame or any sheet of glass. (We love art history!)

If you’re on a budget, you can replace the liquid leading with black glue (colored with paint) to trace the pattern or silhouette on transparency film sheets instead of glass. Add food coloring or a couple drops of acrylic paint to a few tablespoons of clear glue, white school glue, or Mod Podge Gloss in a disposable bowl or muffin tin, then paint the colored glue in the sections you’d like.

Can I use window film to look like stained glass?

Yes! If you’re looking for a quick install, there are many beautiful privacy window films that look like stained glass, plus other beautiful designs. Here are a few of our favorites:

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